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Heirloom

Ausilio Thin Skin Italian Sweet Pepper

Quick Facts:

  • Italian thin-skinned frying pepper
  • Ausilio family heirloom (ca. 1900)
  • Peppers average 5" long; Red at maturity
  • Slightly sweet, mildly hot flavor
  • Used for making traditional Italian sardas

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Quantity: Packet (25 Seeds)

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We ship to all areas of North America including the United States, its territories and outlying islands, and Canada. International orders may incur an additional charge to cover the handling of customs paperwork. Returns are accepted within 30 days of receipt. Full warranty information can be found here.

Ausilio Thin Skin Italian Sweet Pepper

More about Ausilio Thin Skin Italian

Capsicum annuum

Ausilio Thin Skinned Italian Pepper is an Italian thin-skinned frying pepper brought to the United States by Giovanni "John" Ausilio and Rachel P. Scarcello in the early 1900's and passed down through generations of their family until finally donated to the Seed Savers Exchange in 2015 by great-grandson Chad Ogle-Ricceli of Des Moines, Iowa.  Beautiful, glossy-skinned peppers grow up to 5 inches long, turning a vibrant red color at maturity.  Delicious, thin-skinned peppers have a slightly sweet, mildly hot flavor and according to the family are traditionally used for drying, frying, stuffing, canning and making sardas (savory rolls flavored with dried peppers and sardines).  We enjoy them for fresh eat... More

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Capsicum annuum

Ausilio Thin Skinned Italian Pepper is an Italian thin-skinned frying pepper brought to the United States by Giovanni "John" Ausilio and Rachel P. Scarcello in the early 1900's and passed down through generations of their family until finally donated to the Seed Savers Exchange in 2015 by great-grandson Chad Ogle-Ricceli of Des Moines, Iowa.  Beautiful, glossy-skinned peppers grow up to 5 inches long, turning a vibrant red color at maturity.  Delicious, thin-skinned peppers have a slightly sweet, mildly hot flavor and according to the family are traditionally used for drying, frying, stuffing, canning and making sardas (savory rolls flavored with dried peppers and sardines).  We enjoy them for fresh eating or for any recipe that requires just a hint of heat.  70-80 days to harvest.  25 seeds per packet.

Capsicum annuum

Ausilio Thin Skinned Italian Pepper is an Italian thin-skinned frying pepper brought to the United States by Giovanni "John" Ausilio and Rachel P. Scarcello in the early 1900's and passed down through generations of their family until finally donated to the Seed Savers Exchange in 2015 by great-grandson Chad Ogle-Ricceli of Des Moines, Iowa.  Beautiful, glossy-skinned peppers grow up to 5 inches long, turning a vibrant red color at maturity.  Delicious, thin... read more

read less

Capsicum annuum

Ausilio Thin Skinned Italian Pepper is an Italian thin-skinned frying pepper brought to the United States by Giovanni "John" Ausilio and Rachel P. Scarcello in the early 1900's and passed down through generations of their family until finally donated to the Seed Savers Exchange in 2015 by great-grandson Chad Ogle-Ricceli of Des Moines, Iowa.  Beautiful, glossy-skinned peppers grow up to 5 inches long, turning a vibrant red color at maturity.  Delicious, thin-skinned peppers have a slightly sweet, mildly hot flavor and according to the family are traditionally used for drying, frying, stuffing, canning and making sardas (savory rolls flavored with dried peppers and sardines).  We enjoy them for fresh eating or for any recipe that requires just a hint of heat.  70-80 days to harvest.  25 seeds per packet.

Bucket of heirloom beans
Bucket of heirloom beans

How to Grow Sweet Peppers

Peppers perform best in well-drained soil that contains plenty of organic matter and adequate phosphorous and calcium. Mulching plants with poly, paper, or natural materials will ensure consistent moisture throughout the root zone.

For earliest harvest, start seeds indoors 6-8 weeks before the last frost. Sow seeds 1/4" deep in well moistened, sterile seed-starting mix. The ideal temperature for pepper seed germination is 85 degrees. For best results, place a grower's heat mat beneath trays until germination has occurred. Under ideal conditions, germination should occur in 10-14 days.

After danger of frost has passed, set transplants 18-24" apart in rows 24-36" apart. Ensure that plants receive 1-2" of water per week. Avoid over-application of nitrogen as this can cause vegetative growth at the expense of fruit set.

Insect Pests

Biological controls such as Bacillus thuringiensis can be effective in controlling climbing cutworms. Aphids, flea beetles, and other hard-shelled insects can be controlled with a simple homemade insecticidal soap solution.

Diseases & Other Problems

To prevent common pepper diseases like Phytopthora and bacterial spot, avoid watering plants at night or on cool, cloudy days. Excess nitrogen and/or insufficient phosphorous can cause pepper plants to become bushy and produce few blossoms.

Peppers can be harvested at any time, but should be picked before they become soft or overly mature. Harvesting regularly will encourage further fruit set. Peppers can be stored in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 days.

CONSIDERATIONS:

Select disease-free plants that are true-to-type. Pepper plants are prone to cross pollination by bees, so precautions should be taken to prevent pollination by insects. Covering plants with mosquito netting is an effective method to protect against pollen contamination.

HARVESTING SEED:

Harvest mature, disease-free fruit that have developed their final color. Cut open fruit and use a gloved hand to remove the seed. Dry on a coffee filter or paper towel. Store in an airtight container until ready to use.

SEED LONGETIVITY:

Pepper seeds will remain viable for three years when stored under ideal conditions.

Little boy gardening

Customer Reviews

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Linda D
Italian Ausilio peppers have been a staple in my garden for years

If you are not super crazy about really hot peppers, and just want something with a bit more zing than bells and a deeper flavor than habanero types, especially for roasting and grilling, Ausilios are a great choice. I've planted these for years, having first acquired some from an Italian family. I use these in many dishes that call for bell peppers. One must be very patient when starting these as germination is often slow, taking 2 weeks or even a bit longer. Therefore, in zones with shorter growing seasons, starting them indoors is a must, and I recommend when transplanting them to your garden, make sure the weather is warm enough and if not, use a plastic dome cloche or as I do, old field tiles, to shelter them. It is worth it, believe me.

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